Strictly Business

by Lisa Eugene

  Sally turned to leave, but desperate, Wade grabbed her arm and halted her escape. The guilt he was already feeling over Nina’s involvement in the case was chewing away at him; having her remind him that it was his fault she was in danger was a fist hammering his conscience.

  “Sally, please…”

  Her lips pursed in defiance, but she must have seen something in his eyes that caused her expression to soften a fraction. She was about to speak when a firm hand clapped his shoulder and Wade turned, his stare colliding with a hard questioning face.

  “Is everything ok over here?” Dr. Charles asked, his voice a dark even threat.

  Sally harrumphed, her lips pulled into a distasteful line. “This is Mr. Connolly, he’s looking for Dr. Henley. He’s been…harassing her?”

  Wade’s anger notched even higher. He could sense the other man’s eyes assessing him, attempting to measure his relationship with Nina and decipher Sally’s meaning. Wade thought he saw emotion flash in his eyes.

  “I think you should leave. You’re not supposed to be in here.” Dr. Charles applied threatening pressure with the hand on his shoulder. Wade had to give the guy credit. With his size it wasn’t often he was challenged by another male.

  “You’ve got a nerve sending one of your girlfriends to deliver your messages!” Sally spat out.

  Wade shrugged off the grasping paw on his shoulder and took a step back. His brows drew together in puzzled alarm.

  “I didn’t send anyone to deliver a message. I love Nina and I believe she might be in serious danger. I need you to tell me where she is right now?”

  His deadly tone brooked no refusal. At his words even Dr. Charles turned to Sally for an explanation. She stammered fearfully, but relayed what little she’d overheard between Marie and Nina. Smothering the dread in his heart, Wade raced off in the direction she pointed, pulling his cell phone from his pocket.

  “Can’t you two do anything right?”

  Nina watched, her mind still reeling in disbelief that her trusted friend and mentor could be the dark threat hovering over her. She tested the bonds on her wrist. Dr. Tanno’s fowl smelling accomplice had reclaimed her and dragged her down the hall to an empty porter’s room. He’d then shoved her into a chair and hastily tied her wrists behind her with a length of duct tape he drew from his jacket. A naked light bulb hanging from the ceiling illuminated the features of everyone in the room in stark relief, while the tall brooms and cleaning equipment clung to the shadows like ghostly spectators.

  She watched as Dr. Tanno glared at Marie and his accomplice. The heavy thud of her heart almost drowned out his angry words.

  “You two almost bungled this again! She almost got away! Must I do everything myself?”

  Marie squared her shoulders and peered down her nose at the man lounging against a wall beside her. Nina didn’t think it was possible, but Marie seemed to shower him with more disdain than she did her. “We wouldn’t even be in this mess if he’d taken care of her when he was supposed to. Instead he shot that damn detective! Idiot!” Marie spat, then turned back to Dr. Tanno.

  The man scowled. “You’re just jealous because the lawyer’s poking her and not you. So much for your attempts to get close to him. He wouldn’t even answer your calls—you social climbing bimbo!”

  “Enough!”

  Dr. Tanno’s voice exploded into a series of threats that Nina barely heard. She almost sobbed as she realized that the bullet had been meant for her and not Ben. She’d been so wrong about her trusted friend, her mentor and advisor. He’d been a model for everything she esteemed about the medical profession and at times as endeared as her own father. Her shattered thoughts crystallized and fragmented over and over again. How could she have been so wrong? Suddenly she looked up, her green eyes assuming a new clarity.

  “Oh my God! It’s not Ethan Reynolds, Medical Doctor. It’s Emergency Room Medical Director. You. You’re the one printing out the films,” Nina whispered hoarsely.

  Dr. Tanno turned to her, a sickening sneer marring his crinkled face. She marveled at how much stronger and solid he seemed now. He’d always appeared so mild and gentle. Had that all been part of his act?

  “I always thought you were smart, knew it wouldn’t take you too long to figure out. Who else knows?” Dr. Tanno took a steady step towards her, his eyes boring into hers. “You’re going to tell me were those damn films are.”

  “I—I have no i—” Nina barely got the words out before her head was snapped sideways by the violent slap of Dr. Tanno’s palm against her cheek. She felt the flesh on her face sting as pain flooded her fiery skin. Hot tears sprang to her eyes, making her vision murky. She refused to let them spill as his cruel hand landed again and again. She could barely see past him to Marie’s gloating smile.

  “Perhaps now you’ll know I mean business.” The deadly voice intoned very close to her ear as his fingers clawed roughly into her hair. An icy chill climbed down her spine and pain exploded in her scalp.

  She didn’t know where she summoned the courage to speak, but her physical pain combined with her repugnance towards her captor, created an emotional volcano that erupted. “You disgust me! I’m not telling you anything! You’re a physician…I trusted you. Patients trusted you! You betrayed your oath…your pledge to your profession!”

  Dr. Tanno raised his steely eyes to hers and snickered loudly, a nefarious chuckle erupted from his throat. “My…my…you really are naïve. Reynolds was right. You think patients care about an oath? You think they’re loyal? They run to the first two-bit lawyer whenever the opportunity for a coin presents itself. And if there’s no real opportunity, they manufacture one! No, my girl. It’s every man for himself! Take what you can while you can!”

  “You and Reynolds will never get away with this,” she mumbled weakly.

  Dr. Tanno’s jerked back scornfully. “That pompous ass has no idea what the potential is! He’s busy kissing up to his high society patients, happy with their leavings. How long do you think that’ll last? He’s never had the balls to think bigger. He’s a fool just like you. He had high hopes for you until you took up with Connolly. That really pissed him off.”

  Dr. Tanno’s beeper chirped noisily from the pocket of his lab coat. Nina’s gaze instantly darted to the object, hope edging into her despondent heart. They must be needed in the ER. Surely someone would come looking for them. She’d tried not to think of Wade, of how he’d been right about so many things. Now she wished he was there to comfort and protect her.

  She realized now that there’d never been a relationship with Marie. She wished she’d trusted him and hadn’t succumbed to her petty jealously. Instead, she’d defied him and left anger and distrust between them. She’d fallen in love with him despite her efforts not to, and her heart ached miserably. She’d never get to tell him. Thinking of him made hot tears of regret slide down her cheeks.

  Dr. Tanno checked his beeper then sighed heavily, his thick white brows twisting together. He released his grasp from her hair, causing her head to jerk limply. She caught sight of a gun jutting from Dr. Tanno’s waist beneath his lab coat. She wondered fleetingly if he’d use it to end her life. Instead, he turned to the man lounging carelessly in the shadows.

  “I’m needed back.” His scornful stare bore down on Nina, and his frigid tone was monotonously lethal. “Get the information I need, then kill her. Make it look like an accident. Don’t let me say what will happen if my orders are not followed to specificity.”

  Marie took a bold step forward. Her face contorted angrily. “I’m not doing a damn thing more until I get the money I was promised!”

  Nina watched as Dr. Tanno silently crossed the small room to face Marie. She gasped when his fingers shot out to wrap around the width of Marie’s slim throat, causing her eyes to bulge in alarm.

  “You are in no position to make demands. You’ve yet to fulfill your promise to get into that lawyer’s apartment. I’d say you’re dispensable at this point.”

  Nina
shivered as she heard the gurgled plea bubble from Marie’s throat. In the dim light she could glean the distended veins pop from the woman’s forehead as florid color washed over her countenance. Just as quickly as Dr. Tanno had grabbed Marie’s neck he dropped his hand and stepped back calmly, causing her to spin away in a fit of weak coughs.

  “So, as I said. Make sure my directions are followed. Soon you’ll both get your money.”

  Nina witnessed the scene before her, and every word caused another layer of fear to seep through her skin and settle inside her. Her body was wracked with fine tremors, and her face and fingers were numbed beyond feeling. The tangy taste of blood seeped into her mouth, and her face throbbed. She watched Dr. Tanno leave the room, and the fear that filled her overflowed as the two people left behind started towards her. Ironically at that same moment her beeper started to chime as if alerting her that she would never practice medicine again.

  Wade turned down another hallway and grated a curse. This section of the hospital appeared to be a giant labyrinth of halls. Hope and dread had surged through him moments ago when he’d discovered a pair of clogs scattered in the hallway, but now as more precious moments ticked by it was only the dread that reigned. Nina could be anywhere by now. He was forced to admit the likelihood that she was no longer in the building.

  He covered his face with his palms and strove to restrain his mounting despair. The thought of losing her was unbearable. He had to unravel the erratic thoughts muddling his mind and think logically. It was then that he heard a faint beeping noise coming from down the hall and without thought, he jetted towards the sound.

  Relief rang through him when he pushed a small door open, and his gaze alighted on Nina’s drooped frame coiled awkwardly into a chair. Her eyes grew wide with warning at seeing him, and she seemed to work her mouth open to say something. At the same moment his gaze caught a figure unfolding from the dark shadows in the room.

  “Wade! Thank God you’re here!” Marie rushed towards him, her arms outstretched.

  His only thought was to get to Nina, but Marie’s distraction had cost him. Shoving her away, he pivoted to see a larger figure coming at him. The fist that connected with his jaw sent him staggering back. It was more the surprise of the impact than the pain that stunned him momentarily. He was able to deflect the second blow and land a solid punch into his attacker’s midsection, causing him to double over with a loud grunt. Wade’s thoughts were on the woman in the chair just a few feet away from them. He had no idea what condition Nina was in. He knew she was alive, but didn’t like the way her body sat crumpled in the seat.

  Siphoning strength from his fear, he deflected another blow, served a few of his own, and sent his assailant flying back. The man was visibly weakening; his battered face was an ugly bruised canvas. Wade took a step towards him but halted when he pulled a gun and leveled it directly at his chest. His ugly countenance divided with a smug grin as he started towards Wade.

  Wade barely heard Nina’s cry of alarm before her foot shot out in front of her. The gunman went sprawling across the floor, his arms outstretched in front of him. Wade acted quickly, hammering his heavy heel against the man’s wrist, dislodging the gun from his grip and shattering his bones in the process. The man howled in pain as he tried to right himself and Wade followed through with a violent kick to his head that sent his unconscious body back to the floor.

  “Wade, Marie!” Nina yelled when Marie reach for the gun that had slid to a stop at her feet.

  With uncanny speed Wade had Marie in an arm lock that pinned her squirming body to the wall. He ignored her pleas and accusing curses as he bound her wrists and ankles with the duct tape he retrieved from the floor. He perfunctorily slapped a few inches of tape across her angry mouth as she started to swear spitefully at Nina.

  “Are you ok?” he asked Nina as he bent behind her and freed her wrists, tenderly rubbing his thumbs against the raw bruising that had already formed there. He didn’t recognize the tremor in his voice.

  He faced her and cradled her head in his palms, his chest heaving. His eyes hastily scanned her face, taking in her swollen jaw, split lip, and welted cheeks. His throat pushed past an emotional lump when she shot him a weak smile. In a rush of relief and emotion, he brought her against his chest.

  “I—I’m ok, really…” she assured, easing back to assess him.

  Nina couldn’t check her tears when she saw the concern and pain simmering in Wade’s gaze. His expressive blue eyes were covered with a suspicious watery film as he chased his hands over her body, checking for further injury.

  She laid a palm against his cheek, forcing him to meet her gaze. She couldn’t believe the magnitude of emotion she felt for him. Her heart felt like it was about to burst from its fullness. She’d been afraid she’d never see him again, never get to tell him how she felt about him.

  “I love you.”

  Wade squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head into her palm. He placed a gentle kiss there then embraced her. He was on the brink of dissolving emotionally. He couldn’t stand seeing her like this. Anger was a raging beast inside of him. He wanted to pummel that man over and over again, but he had to control himself. He had to be strong for her. They were not out of danger, and he wouldn’t feel secure until they were out of the hospital. He needed to get Nina to safety, to investigate her injuries and ascertain that she was alright mentally and physically.

  “We have to get out of here,” he informed, helping her to her feet. “Are you able to walk?”

  She nodded, but stopped Wade with the touch of her hand. “I—I was wrong. It wasn’t Dr. Reynolds who was printing the films.” Nina swallowed, choking on her words. “It was Dr. Tanno.”

  “I know.”

  She stared up at him, shock and confusion marking her face. “How?”

  “Ben. He’s conscious. That’s what he was trying to tell me the night of our date. He found out about Dr. Tanno, found out that you were a target. Dr. Tanno was afraid you’d link him to the film. Not even Dr. Barton knew who was printing them. The films were the only thing linking him to the scam.”

  She nodded thoughtfully. She had to stop after a few tentative steps. After Dr. Tanno had left the room, her body had endured a few more punishing blows. Now the contents of her stomach threatened to spill. She breathed deeply and sought support from Wade’s strong arm. She shook her head when he attempted to lift her.

  “No…I’m ok. Just needed a minute,” she informed after the wave of nausea passed. Staring into his loving eyes, and feeling his nearness, gave her the strength to continue. “What happens now? We can’t let him get away with this! He’s in the ER,” she said when they were in the hallway headed towards an exit sign.

  “By now the ER is swarming with police. The authorities know everything. There’s enough evidence to put Dr. Tanno and his cronies away for a very long time. Dr. Barton was picked up by the authorities today. I think that’s what forced Dr. Tanno’s hand. But, it’s over.”

  “Thank God…” Nina frowned thoughtfully. “I wonder how Dr. Tanno knew about

  us—”

  A menacing chuckle from close by cut off her words and both she and Wade swiveled to see Dr. Tanno standing behind them. His legs were planted to brace his body and his chest heaved heavily as though he’d just run a marathon. His eyes were wild and unfocused, darting quickly between Nina and Wade. She now noticed that the gun that had previously been hidden under his lab coat was pointed directly at her.

  “Every since I came upon the two of you rutting like dogs in an exam room one night,” Dr. Tanno sneered in explanation, apparently overhearing her recent musing. At the look of shock on her face he added, “Yes my prim, ethical protégée. That’s when I realized you were working with him, helping this scum with his case!”

  “It’s over Dr. Tanno,” Wade issued levelly, easing cautiously in front of Nina. “Put the gun down.”

  Dr. Tanno’s eyes narrowed malevolently, it was clear his earlier calm had vani
shed. Beads of sweat sprouted on his upper lip, and his jaw ticked erratically. “Shut up! She’s my ticket out of here.”

  Wade raised both palms flat in front of him, taking a measured step towards Dr. Tanno. The man had obviously just fled from the ER which was no doubt besieged by cops. He had to get the doctor’s focus off Nina and trained on himself. Wade could tell by the tremor in his hand and the feral gleam of his eyes that his composure was precarious.

  “It’s over,” Wade repeated evenly. “Put the gun down.”

  Wade had managed to inch closer to Dr. Tanno. He took a steadying breath. If he could just distract the other man, he’d be able to reach out and grab the arm holding the gun and neutralize him, or at least buy enough time for Nina to escape to safety.

  “Do as he says, Doctor!” The door to the hall burst open and Detective Sullivan, weapon drawn, barked the order.

  Dr. Tanno swung around in panic, his gun aimed at the detective’s heart. Wade lunged and grabbed hold of his gun arm, but not before the weapon discharged, sending the bullet askew. Nina screamed as Detective Sullivan went down, a crimson stain already blooming on his right shoulder. She instinctively wanted to rush to him, but her eyes were glued horrifically on Wade and Dr. Tanno as they struggled for the gun.

  Her heart banged against her ribs with fear. Wade was obviously stronger than the other man and would have easily subdued him had it not been for his steely grip on the weapon. She gasped when Wade wrestled Dr. Tanno against a wall, their forms one writhing mass. The doctor’s body was pinned, but the gun disappeared between their torsos. Her head seemed to explode with the sound of the firing of the chamber. Everything then seemed to move in slow motion as both bodies stilled.

  “Wade!” Nina’s loud scream rend the air, and she sobbed into her palm, rushing towards them.

  Dr. Tanno’s body swayed and dropped lifelessly to the floor with a sickening thud just as Wade turned and caught her in his arms. His fingers combed through her tangled hair and he planted urgent kisses on her face, reassuring her he was unhurt. Detective Sullivan’s painful grunt got their attention, and they rushed over to him. Despite the blood oozing from his shoulder, Wade knew he would be ok when the detective shot him a cocky grin.